music we love – taste of randolph street festival

The countdown to the Taste of Randolph Street had our mouths watering all week, but the real standout this year was the killer musical lineup. All three days of the “taste of Restaurant Row” have something to offer music fans. Our absolute favorite acts were Dinosaur Jr., Tennis, and Best Coast. With a must-see band scheduled for each day of the festival, we were able to get our fill of the variety of delicious food on offer and revisit our favorite booths.

Dinosaur Jr. has made appearances at several other Chicago festivals during the last few years, but we make a point to see them each time they’re scheduled. A true forerunner of lo-fi alt rock, J. Mascis’ plaintive, understated vocal style always has the crowd paying rapt attention– truly a rarity at a packed street festival. The crowd was a mix of the generation that originally appreciated Dinosaur Jr. as well as new and younger fans. We grabbed a pork taco from Belly Q and enjoyed a truly excellent set!

Saturday we were looking forward to enjoying the Tennis show with a cup of Sangria, which turned out to be a winning combination. Tennis is truly the perfect soundtrack to summer– super light, catchy and beachy. Lead singer Alaina Moore has been our hair inspiration for as long as we have been listening to Tennis, and she was just as beautiful onstage.

Sunday we had our eye on a tasty Cuban sandwich from La Sardine to go with the last band on our list, Best Coast. Best Coast has a slightly retro west-coast surfer rock vibe, and is always on our summer playlists. Though the weekend weather was less than idyllic for a festival, Best Coast made us feel like the sun was shining. If you missed them at Taste of Randolph Street, be sure to check out their new video!